zoi6 haa6在下
Jyutpingzoi6 haa6
Yalejoih hah
Definition
Under, below, or beneath; can also be used as a humble pronoun for "I" or "me".
- under; below; beneath
- literaryI; me; myself
neutralplaces
How it's used
Refers specifically to the physical space directly beneath an object. While it functions as a locative, it is often paired with 邊 to form the more common spatial marker 在下邊. It sounds slightly more formal or descriptive than the standard colloquial term 底下.
Examples
The cat is sleeping under the table.
Check under the chair to see if there is anything.
Related words
Common phrases
underneath
Common mistake
Avoid using this as a self-referential pronoun like the literary Mandarin term for 'I' or 'me'. In Cantonese, it is strictly a spatial preposition for location.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
